An image duplicating apparatus of the type having an automatic document feed module in addition to an ordinary image duplicator module is known and is in wide use. The automatic document feed module has a document support tray for storing a set of original document sheets to be duplicated and is operative to automatically convey the original document sheets successively to a prescribed position on a transparent document support table of the image duplicator module. The original document sheet conveyed to the prescribed position on the document support table during each cycle of operation of the apparatus is optically scanned and the image duplicator module produces a printed output or a desired number of printed outputs on the basis of the information produced by the scanning operation. After scanning, the original document sheet is automatically withdrawn from the automatic document feed module module so that the feeding module is ready for the subsequent cycle of operation.
There are various natures of materials desired to be duplicated in such an image duplicating apparatus. These materials will include those which could not be handled by an automatic document feed module of an ordinary design. Typical of the materials which an automatic document feed module could not handle are books and other bound volumes of sheet materials and those sheet materials which are so thin that an ordinary automatic document feed module could not move on the document support table of the image duplicator module. When it is desired to duplicate images on such a thin sheet material or a page or pages of a bound volume of sheet materials, the operator is required to place the original on the document support table of the image duplicator module without the aid of the automatic document feed module. To allow the operator direct access to the document support table, the automatic document feed module is hingedly assembled to the image duplicator module and can thus be "opened" up from the document support table of the image duplicator module.
After the material manually placed on the document support table of the image duplicator module is scanned, the material is removed from the document support table also manually by the operator. Intervention of the automatic document feed module in removing the material from the document table is prohibited with a view to precluding any damage that might be caused to the material if the material manually placed on the document support table is to be removed automatically by the automatic document feed module.
Whereas, an automatic document feed module is capable of conveying an original document material to a predetermined position on the document support table of an image duplicator module. The position to which the original document material is to be conveyed is determined automatically by the automatic document feed module per se and could not be altered or adjusted at the operator's option. When the operator desires to have an original document material conveyed to his desired position on the document support table, the operator is required to place the document material manually without the aid of the automatic document feed module. Since the intervention of the automatic document feed module in withdrawing an original document material from the document support table is prohibited, the operator is also required to manually remove the document material from the document support table even if the material is of a nature that can be handled by the automatic document feed module. It will however be convenient if an original document material which has once been manually placed on the document support table of the image duplicator module can be withdrawn automatically by means of the automatic document feed module if the document material is of a nature that can be handled by the automatic document feed module.
Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide an improved image duplicating apparatus equipped with an automatic document feed module capable of automatically withdrawing an original document sheet from the document support table of the image duplicator module at the operator's option even if the material may have been placed on the document support table without the aid of the automatic document feed module.